Conventional parabolic reflectors have a static (unchangeable) geometry thus the entire reflector has to be rotated in a way to always face the sun. In large scales were the reflector becomes heavy, rotating the structure could become expensive.
U.S. Publication 2012/0042949 (Shifman; Eli) describes a solar concentrator where the reflector can be either spherical or aspherical shaped, paragraph 49.
Publications and patents that describe various types of concave curved deformable mirrors where the reflective surface can be adjusted by actuators (such as pistons) to change focus concentration include U.S. Publication 2005/0200984 (Browne, Alan L. et al.) describes active mirror assemblies; U.S. Pat. No. 8,118,440 issued to David Patrick Luebke describes a capture system and method equipped with at least one steerable deflecting mirror (see FIG. 5, #506); U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,152 issued to Doug Wood describes a matrix solar dish; U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,795 Issued to Harry Chapman et al. describes a deformable mirror for short wavelength applications; U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,191 issued to James Blackmon. et al. describes a light weight reflector facet; U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,549 issued to Robert C. Stirbl et al. describes a method for changing solar energy distribution; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,394 issued to William C. Alexander describes a solar energy concentrator.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,247,790 (Rabinowitz; Mario) describes a system that utilizes a dynamic spinning ensemble of mini-mirrors to both concentrate and modulate rays from the sun onto a photovoltaic collector array.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,784 (Spinhirne; James M.) describes a deformable mirror with pneumatic actuator pre-load; U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,571 (Brown, Jr.; Wilbur P. et al.) describes a cascaded adaptive optics system; U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,803 (Ealey; Mark A.) describes a differential pressure deformable mirror; U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,249 (Wisner; George R.) describes an electromechanical light chopper arrangement; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,563 (Plante; Roland L. et al.) describes a variable thickness deformable mirror. Each of these describes planar deformable mirror reflectors that also have reflective surfaces that can be selectively deformed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,352 issued to Harold Earl Bennett et al. describes transfer optics mirror that is shaped by a plurality of piezoelectric actuators connectors to push/pull rods spread evenly over the back surface of the thin mirror a distance determined by the mirror's influence function. The mirror is held by a support with the same coefficient of expansion as the mirror so external heating and cooling does not distort the mirror. The actuators are connected to a computer so each is separately controlled to contour the mirror as desired.
To solve the problems associated with the prior art solar generation systems, what is needed is a solar concentrator system that includes a deformable mirror to reflect concentrated solar rays to a single point for solar or thermal collection.